OUR Walmart Civil Rights

Markeith Washington was working on the overnight remodeling crew at the Richmond, CA Walmart Store which was supervised by Art Van Riper. Van Riper was notorious among associates for screaming insults, calling the crew "a bunch of lazy ass workers."
During one night of work in September of 2012 while Markeith was tying a rope around his own waist to aid in moving a heavy counter, Van Riper said to him, "if it was up to me, I'd put that rope around your neck." Shocked at this hateful comment, Markeith simply responded, "That's not right."
Markeith and his fellow remodel crew associates were understandably outraged by Van Riper's threat. They bravely joined together to demand discipline for Van Riper and respect on the job by taking actions including talking to management, sending a letter to Walmart and even participating in a work stoppage strike.
More than two years after threatening to lynch Markeith, Art Van Riper still has a job with Walmart. Associates who stood up to Van Riper's unacceptable conduct have been fired and none rehired by Walmart.
In early December, an administrative law judge ruled that Walmart illegally disciplined workers who went on strike because of Van Riper's behavior.
It is unacceptable that Walmart, the country's largest employer of Black people, would conduct an investigation into this incident and continue to employ Art Van Riper. By refusing to take action--even in the face of a judge's ruling-- Walmart is complicit in Art Van Riper invoking the traumatic, racist violence of lynching.
Walmart must set a precedent that this type of behavior from management is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Walmart must fire Art Van Riper, rehire all the associates who protested the incident and put human resources practices in place to ensure racist threats of violence never again happen in a store.
As Demario Hammond, one of Markeith's coworkers who witnessed Van Riper's verbal attack and was disciplined for fighting back, puts it, "We grew up learning from our mistakes, but only because when we did something wrong our parents would check us. Managers like Art continue to work at Walmart, and will continue treating associates with disrespect unless Walmart’s upper management or Home Office does something about it. His behavior deserves consequences."

As the largest private employer of Black people in the country, Walmart has the opportunity to greatly improve the lives of millions of Black people. Following actions across the country from brave associates, Walmart announced earlier this year that it was raising wages to $9/hour. That was a tremendous first step but doesn't go nearly far enough.
For one of the most profitable companies in the world, working at Walmart is harder than it should be. Even with the raise, too many of my coworkers are on medicaid and food stamps. The schedule changes make it hard to raise a stable family. Some of my fellow associates even experience homelessness while working.
A full time schedule and $15/hour for Walmart associates is what we need to make working at Walmart a little easier. It will allow us to take time off to attend to sick family members, purchase groceries, and cover increasingly skyrocketing housing and healthcare costs. Walmart has the means to make that a reality.
And this is important not just for Walmart workers but for hourly workers in every sector. After Walmart raised wages earlier this year several other large employers followed suit. When Walmart makes changes for the better, everyone benefits.
I'm a member of OUR Walmart because I know when we stand together and demand change, we can all live better. That's why I'm traveling this week from my store near Tacoma, Washington to Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas to tell the Board of Directors that associates deserve better. I hope you'll join me by signing this petition demanding the Walmart Board announce $15 an hour wages and full time schedules.
-Mary Watkines, OUR Walmart

My name is Mary Watkines and I'm a leader and founding member of OUR Walmart in Washington state. Over the last month over 30 new associates have joined from stores in Federal Way, Renton, and Auburn.
I have spent this time advocating for increased minimum wage in WA state, drawing strength from my faith in God and the power of workers to make change. I work hard every day in my store and did my best to model dignity in the workplace.
I returned to work on April 15th, after being disciplined for wearing an OUR Walmart pin, alongside local community members in prayer. I also presented a resolution related to executive pay at the Walmart Shareholder meeting in Bentonville in June, bringing attention to the income inequality that we as Walmart workers experience firsthand.
However, two weeks ago, I was fired. As an organizer and mentor to many associates in my store and beyond, it is clear I am an ongoing target of management. This time, I was pulled in from my break by my store manager and asset protection and given termination papers including a money order paying me up to the minute I stepped off the floor. My store manager said that the directive to fire me had come from above. I believe that Walmart, the largest employer of African-Americans in the country, has the opportunity to make a difference in our lives, but instead is choosing to retaliate against people like me who speak out.
This is not the first time Walmart has tried to fire me unjustly, but I need your help to get re-hired, again. I have already spoken with my store manager, district manager and a member of HR from Walmart's Regional office but now I need your help.